Understanding high blood pressure
Most of the time, high blood pressure has no symptoms.
High blood pressure occurs when the force of blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems like heart disease. If you have this condition, you're not alone. 1 in 3 adults over 20 has high blood pressure.
If left untreated, the damage that high blood pressure does to your circulatory system can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and other health threats.
Risk factors
Having a family member with high blood pressure makes you more likely to develop it yourself. Age, gender, and ethnicity also play a role. For example, your risk increases as you age. Men are more likely to develop high blood pressure before age 45, and African-Americans have an increased risk compared to other groups.
As with almost any health condition, lifestyle plays a role. Poor diet, lack of activity, smoking, alcohol use, and obesity increase the likelihood of high blood pressure.
Know your numbers
Your doctor will check your blood pressure at every visit.
A blood pressure reading consists of two numbers. Normal blood pressure is usually 120/80 in a healthy adult.
It's natural for blood pressure to rise and fall somewhat with changes in activity or emotional state.
If your blood pressure is 140/90 or higher, taken on at least three occasions, then you have high blood pressure. If you’re over age 60, readings of 150/90 or higher indicate high blood pressure.
People with blood pressure readings of 180/120 or higher need treatment immediately.
Warning symptoms
If you experience any of these symptoms, get medical help immediately:
- Sudden change in vision
- Sudden weakness in your arms or legs
- Slurred speech
- Chest pain
- Nosebleeds
- Shortness of breath
- Worst headache of your life
If you don't have symptoms but still experience blood pressure that is much higher than usual, call your doctor.
Finding the right care
Start by seeing your primary care doctor.
After diagnosis, plan to have regular checkups with your primary care doctor at least once every three weeks until you meet your blood pressure goal.
After your blood pressure is at goal, schedule follow-up appointments once every three to six months. Your primary care doctor will help with regular monitoring, detecting patterns, and alerting you to any changes. This will also show you if the changes you’ve made are working.
Your doctor may order potassium and creatinine blood tests every 6 to 12 months.
You should also plan to see an eye doctor once per year since high blood pressure can cause damage to your eyes.
Depending on the severity of your condition you may also need to see the following specialists:
- A nephrologist to help you manage kidney disease caused by severe high blood pressure
- A cardiologist to help you manage heart disease associated with high blood pressure
Choosing a treatment plan
Make lifestyle changes, but you may also need medication.
Healthy lifestyle habits can help you control high blood pressure
- Healthy eating. Limit your intake of sodium. Increase potassium. Eat heart-healthy foods.
- Get more physical activity. Engage in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise at least 2 hours and 30 minutes per week.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Limit alcohol intake. Too much alcohol will actually raise your blood pressure.
- Manage stress. Learning how to manage stress, relax, and cope with problems can improve your emotional and physical health and lower high blood pressure.
Commonly prescribed medicines
People who have high blood pressure may need to take one or more types of medication. For example:
- Hydrochlorothiazide
- Amlodipine
- Lisinopril
- Metoprolol
One to two weeks after starting certain blood pressure medications, your doctor should order a basic chemistry panel. This blood test checks electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and creatinine.
Even if you take blood pressure medication, you still need to adopt healthy lifestyle habits. In some cases, people who are able to make long-term changes in eating and exercise reduce their need for medication to control your condition.
